Eight hat designs that anyone can rock!
Original designs by Erica Jackofsky, Fiddle Knits Designs.
The Musical Minds Collection was inspired by my boyfriend Chris. The very first handknit gift I made for him was a hat. Over our first Winter together I discovered what he liked and looked for in a knit and his collection of hats began to grow. After a while I realized that there were probably many other knitters out there looking for designs that the men in their life would approve of. Hopefully this collection fills that need.
•Full collection pricing saves you $5 off individual pattern price.

Pattern #4 from the Musical Minds Collection from Fiddle Knits.
Paradiddle is a classic fitting beanie hat worked in the round from the bottom up. The ribbed stitch pattern is perfect for guys and gals providing interesting texture without being overwhelming. For a turned up cuff work hat an additional 2 inches long before beginning crown decreases. (If you do this then you will need an additional skein of yarn for the larger two sizes.)

Hat #6 from the Musical Minds Collection.
The Harmonic hat is constructed by first working flat (in rows) for the bottom band and then joining to work in the round. The colorwork band serves aesthetic and practical functions. It adds visual appeal to the finished design and interest during the knitting process. The more practical aspect is that the colorwork creates a denser fabric, which provides added warmth around the wearer’s ears.

If you are careful when joining new yarn and working decreases at the crown shaping then this hat can be reversible! The choice is yours, of course. My man decided he preferred the look of the purl side with stockinette stitches spiraling because he thought the way the knits “sink into the rest of it” was pretty cool.
The Male Reaction
When I unveiled the original sample for this design to my man and the rest of his guy friends the reaction was a unanimous “nice” (imagine this being said in what can only be defined as the stereotypical surfer boy intonation). And then they each attempted to steal away one of the samples to try on.

Design two from the Musical Minds Collection by Fiddle Knits.
Counterpoint is worked from the bottom up to the crown decreases. There is no shaping done within the knitting to accommodate the brim. Instead we are taking advantage of the natural stretch of ribbing and inserting a sheet of plastic canvas to extend the stitches.

Monophonic’s slouched shape is formed by a series of short rows that keep the crown of the hat falling neatly toward the back. Using this shaping method removes the bulk of extra fabric that would typically rest at the nape of the neck and also lowers the yardage requirement. Following the recommended number of row repeats will give you the look of a moderately slouchy hat. For a hat fit for holding dreads or big hair work more repeats (noted within instructions).
This design offers options for two different looks: reverse and traditional stockinette. The ribbing/lower brim band is the same for either variation. Once you make it past this section you will be instructed to move on to the version of your choice. If you want to work the reverse/purled version, but are having a hard time coming to terms with all that purling, remember that the majority of the hat is actually worked in rows, so you will, in fact, be knitting also.